How to Read an Italian Wine Label

American wine labels, while not easy to read by any standard of reality—your own imagination may claim otherwise—the young wine industry of the United States has not yet developed the many quirks of Italian wines. As such, several points of interest appear on an Italian label which covertly describe the wine. Once you know the code, you will no longer be guessing as to which to choose.

Quality

This sometimes appears on the label itself, sometimes as a label around the neck of the wine. In descending quality, they are: Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin (DOCG), which is quality guaranteed by the Italian government, if so labeled; Denomination of Controlled Origin (DOC), which ensures that the wine is produced in a certain region to certain standards; Typical Geographic Indication (IGT), to communicate which specific region of Italy it is from and sometimes the varietal and vintage; and finally Table Wine (VDT), which in Italy has little meaning since the other designations require applications. The last is disappearing even in Italy and is rarely seen on exported bottles.

Brand, Appellation, Country of Origin, and Producer

Most often, the brand is the name of the vineyard. Italian wines are required to display this prominently and in large letters. The appellation is just as critical since it specifies the region in which the grapes were grown. Once again, the individual conditions in the growing region have significant impact on the final product. Knowing the place of origin is critical when selecting a wine. Along with this goes the country of origin line, since that different climate may affect the wine. Grapes from other countries may be brought in to supplement the wine, meaning that the main Italian grapes will predominate. The producer must also be specified, often with the introduction “Imbottigliato da”. Since producers are often hundreds of years old, this will always be displayed.

Vintage

This does not specify the year the wine was bottled, but the year the grapes were harvested. This bit of information is extremely important, as it reveals the characteristics of the grapes and the quality of the wine. Years are often known to be particularly good, average, or poor. When you compare that with the vintage, you can predict the wine you are about to open.

So there you have it. The Italian label, in plain English. So if you’re putting together a lasagna, a tray of Italian cold cuts with cheese and olives, or a bowl of minestrone, you can now pick an Italian wine to complement anything.

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